Depending on several factors we can get a sense of how long does fentanyl show up on a drug test. These factors include everything from test type to personal characteristics like body fat and metabolism. Fentanyl is a controlled substance which is used in treating pain, however the drug is highly addictive. Mostly fentanyl is prescribed to people who are more tolerant and resistant to addictive drugs. To get a sense of how strong fentanyl is it is good to compare it to another well known pain medication. Fentanyl is fifty to a hundred times more potent than morphine.
Testing for this highly potent drug will differ for various testing methods and testing tools. Fentanyl drug tests will mostly resort to saliva and urine drug testing to find traces of the drug. However it is imperative that we know the half life of the drug in order to better understand its lifespan.
Fentanyl is mostly metabolised in the liver and broken down into other substances which are then excreted through the kidneys. According to some studies traces of FYL can be found up to four days after the drug has been taken. This in turn gives the already potent drug a fairly long lifespan in your system.
Does fentanyl show up in drug urine tests?
There are many different types of tests that can provide varying perspectives on your system. All of these tests find fentanyl as norfentanyl, a derivative substance that is created from fentanyl in the liver. As for the tests themselves there are several to choose from for personal or professional use:
The Fentanyl Urine Drug Test is a strip based testing mechanism that tests your urine specifically for traces of fentanyl, or rather norfentanyl as it is called. These are made to test only for fentanyl. Casting a wider net is sometimes needed in workplace testing or if you want to check out your system before such testing.
The 13 panel drug test cup with FYL does exactly this, it’s accuracy is amazing, standing at an impressive 99.99%. Similar to this you may want to check out other 13 panel tests such as: 13 panel fentanyl urine test with ADLTX which uses adulterants to further increase the precision of the testing cups.
However if you think that a wider net is needed and that better testing mechanisms are needed then be sure to check out the 14 panel tests. The 14 Panel Test Cup with EtG includes alcohol in the testing spectre and works on further solidifying its accuracy. While the 14 Panel Drug Test with hCG and FYL focuses its energy on speed of information transfer. Which can be useful in workplace testing environments.
It is worth mentioning that there are still even larger testing cups with 16 panel such as the 16 panel drug test cup with KRA, EtG and FYL which again increases the testing and accuracy while giving a wider range of tested drugs. Aside from this there are fentanyl drug testing devices such as the Fentanyl Drug Test Kit and the Multi Drug Test Dip Card which focus exclusively on fentanyl drug testing for personal use.
How long does fentanyl show up on a drug test?
Fentanyl can be taken in two forms on the market and both of these forms incur different results. One form is a fentanyl patch which is applied by sticking the patch on your skin. The patches use up to 100 micrograms and are exchanged every 72 hours. These small doses are necessary as only 2 mg of fentanyl can cause an overdose.
Fentanyl can be found in your urine for up to 48 hours after you have taken a dose. However this can change. There are several factors that influence how long fentanyl will stay in your system, such as:
- Frequency of use and dose – In general the larger the dose the longer the drug will stay in your body. If you are taking the drug frequently it will show up on a test as the clear out period will be long.
- Metabolism – As with most drugs, how healthy your metabolism is will determine how long the drug will stay in the body. Fentanyl is metabolized in the liver so a healthy liver will clear it out faster.
- Patch location – Depending on the thickness of the skin where you have administered the patch and the body fat located beneath there will be different results. Thicker skin and less body fat will help clear out the drug.
Clearing out Fentanyl out of your system
Once the fentanyl drug tests have done their jobs and the urine tests have checked out what they can, it is good to learn how to clear this potent drug from your system. The truth is that there are lots of myths surrounding how drugs should be cleared from your body. Sadly drinking lots of water, exercising and other similar methods can’t help you once the drug is inside your system. These methods are here to build up your metabolism and should be done regularly before taking drugs such as fentanyl.
The only way to get the drug out of your system is by stopping its intake. This will give your body enough time to metabolize it and clear right up. One method of clearing your body in the case of overdose or some emergency are nasal sprays. Not regular nasal sprays mind you, rather sprays like Narcan. Sprays such as this will help put your system into withdrawal. Note that withdrawal is hardly a pleasant experience to go through, but it will help you survive in case of an emergency.
Conclusion
How long does fentanyl show up on a drug test will differ according to different factors. Fentanyl drug tests are quite precise and can help you when trying to figure out if your intake of fentanyl is too large. If there are any signs of sickness or discomfort upon using fentanyl be sure to stop using the drug. If a test is upcoming in your workplace consider stopping fentanyl intake. And finally if you are worried about your intake of fentanyl feel free to contact a healthcare provider!
